FORT WAYNE – All five Parkview Health Family Birthing Centers in Indiana were recognized Friday by the Indiana Hospital Association (IHA) for excellence in infant and maternal care.
The annual Hospital of Distinction program, now in its fifth year, recognizes hospitals that successfully implement best practices in key areas including infant safe sleep, breastfeeding, perinatal substance use, social drivers of health, obstetric hemorrhage and maternal hypertension, according to the release from Parkview Health.
Parkview Hospital Randallia, Parkview Huntington Hospital, Parkview Kosciusko Hospital and Parkview Noble Hospital received the Hospital of Distinction award for meeting criteria in four or five categories, while Parkview Regional Medical Center received the Center of Excellence award for meeting thresholds in one to three categories.
"Welcoming a new addition to our patient's family is one of the most rewarding services our physicians and nurses get to provide our communities," said Tasha Eicher, senior vice president, women's and children's, Parkview Health. "We're proud to see our Family Birthing Centers recognized once again for the high level of care we provide to our patients in Fort Wayne and our community hospitals."
Parkview Kosciusko Hospital, which opened its birthing center in September, was recognized for the first time, while the other four hospitals have all previously appeared on IHA's lists multiple times. Parkview Bryan Hospital also operates a Family Birthing Center but is not eligible for the IHA award because it is located in Ohio.
Parkview welcomed just over 5,300 newborns across its six Family Birthing Centers in 2024.
Indiana had an infant mortality rate of 7.2 per 1,000 live births in 2022, the latest year of data available via the Indiana Department of Health. Approximately 29% of mothers in Indiana received no first trimester prenatal care, while 10.9% of babies were born preterm (before 37 weeks gestation) and 8.7% had low birth weights of less than 5.5 pounds. Maternal mortality rates have improved across the state in recent years, but disparities remain with higher mortality rates among Black and Hispanic women and infants.
"Pregnancy is a complex change on the body and the early months of a baby's life are key to its long-term development," said Dr. Tom Miller, physician executive for women's and children's, Parkview Health. "At Parkview, our providers are here to walk hand-in-hand with expectant mothers and their children to navigate any challenges or complications that may arise."